The Day He Met Her
by patricia61922
Summary: A story about how Nick met (and fell for) Katarina. I wrote this in a way that even if you have no read the book / series, you will still understand what is going on. Characters from Heist Society belong to Ally Carter.
1. Chapter 1

**Characters from Heist Society belong to Ally Carter.**

**The day Nick met (and fell for) Katarina in Paris. **

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I have always been a quick-study. For most concepts, explaining it to me once is enough. That is why when I bargained with someone to not turn him in for robbing him in exchange for a class on the basic skills of thieves, one lecture was enough. I could pick a lock in lock in two seconds and pick-pocket someone clean underneath the careful watch of the mark's bodyguards. Many people told me I was a genius. I believed them, until I met her.

She is the daughter of the felon my Interpol mother has chased for months. He must be good because my mother is one of the best. He never leaves a footprint during any of his heists, yet he almost always succeeds. Even if he is compromised, he manages to get away without a trace. Only a few people know his name. Even fewer people know the name of his daughter, Katarina Bishop.

The number one rule among thieves is to never get too attached to any one thing or any one person. Yet, these rules seem to not apply to family I saw Katarina approach her father. They were obviously both very good because they fit in perfectly with the crowd. I had always wondered if he was Katarina's real father, but now I had no doubt. You could see it in their faces. There was something special about them that stood out to me. The way they held a serious conversation as if they were talking about the weather. The way they carefully took in their surrounds while looking nothing more than slightly bored tourists. Especially the way she especially stood out to me.

She obviously had no experience with boys, but still had a way of catching boys' attention. Yet, she seemed to never notice that she was actually attractive to men. Maybe she was unaware that she was even female, living and working in a world that was completely male-dominated. Yet, her unflattering clothes could not hide a body that high-end gyms and fitness products promised their clients. However, it wasn't her figure that drew me to her. It wasn't because my mother had an interest in her father. She just had something about her, an aura that no one could steal from her. Something that always made my heart skip a beat every time I saw her.

I made sure to walk right next to her on the street after she finished her conversation with her father, but I couldn't help myself when I tested how good she was when I reached into her pocket. I was disappointed. She never even noticed. As I walked back toward my hotel room, I decided to drop my silly crush on her. After all, she was a criminal, and not a very good one at that. I was better. Yet, as I opened the door to my room, I thought, _maybe not_.

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**Hello, thank you for reading! This is my first fanfic, ever! I know this is really short, but I wanted to leave room for imagination. Please leave me comments and review this! A favorite would be nice too. **

**If you did like this story (I hope the answer to this is YES), please read my original story on Fictionpress. The link is on my profile page. I'll see you there! =^_^=**


	2. Chapter 2

**As always, dialogues and characters from Heist Society belong to Ally Carter.**

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As I walked through the hotel lobby, tourists admired the ostentatious interior, while I only had eyes for their security system. The latest from the Loki 1200 Series had been customized for subtlety and efficiency. The little black upside-down domes blended in perfectly with the black and white ceiling. Very few people can see the slight differences in the shading between the glass domes and the half-sphere marble pieces that decorated the room. I was one of them, of course. There were thirty-six cameras in the lobby alone. They worked 24/7 and rotated clockwise and then counter-clockwise every ten seconds. There were fifteen uniformed guards and ten more in civilian clothes, who were revealed only by the slight bulge made by their telltale shoulder holster. Many people thought that it was overkill and pretentious, but there is a reason that no one has ever successfully robbed this hotel.

So, when I heard the Bellman say, "Did she find you, sir?" I froze.

"I'm sorry?" My mother worked overtime every day and didn't come home until 10 pm each night.

"The young lady, sir. She said she was your cousin. She said she had a key, sir. She knew your name and room number."

I could control my face, but for one second, I could not fully control my eyes, which widened in fear. Whoever this mystery girl was, she was a stranger. My only female cousin was still at Colgan and was not released for Winterbreak yet.

However, through my fear, I was impressed. My mystery girl was able to pickpocket my key card, even when it was inside a hidden pocket in my coat, without me ever noticing what was happening. She might even be better than Katarina Bishop.

"Oh good. She made it." My pride would not allow me to ask for a security guard because there was a miniscule, desperate chance that my cousin was really released for winter break early and was giving me a surprise visit.

Did I mention that it was a desperate hope? When I arrived outside my hotel room, my door was unlocked. My mystery girl was good.

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**Hello everyone! **

**First, I want to thank writer2be14, The One You Never Suspected, and misstvd11 for reviewing my first chapter. Please review and constructive criticisms (and compliments) are always welcome.**

**Second, I know this chapter is a bit short, but please bear with me! I promise to post more chapters soon!**

**Third, I hope you are enjoying the story far. However, I just CAN'T wait for Ally Carter's new book that will come out later this week! Perfect Scoundrels!**


	3. Chapter 3

**All dialogues, characters, and settings from Heist Society belong to Ally Carter. This chapter has been edited since the first time I posted it.**

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Any criminal's best weapon is the element of surprise. The girl sitting in my favorite chair had clearly already mastered this skill.

"What? No 'Hello'? No 'Honey, I'm home'?" she said as if it was perfectly natural for me to say those words to her.

"You." My eyes flashed. I looked up and down the hallway to make sure no one saw me with a criminal in my hotel room. I quickly went inside and locked the door. What was the girl I have tailed for months doing in my room?

"I don't believe we were properly introduced on the street." She said sweetly.

That is, of course, if you consider stalking someone for about half a year and then suddenly picking her pocket "properly meeting someone". But then again, in her world, rules differ generally very different.

"I'm Katarina Bishop. But you already know that if you looked in the wallet you've got in the inside left pocket of that coat you're wearing."

I moved my hand over to my chest to see if the bulge is that noticeable; instead, I felt how heard my heart pumped each second.

"My friends call me Kat."  
She looked at me as if to see how a "friend" I could be to her.

In my mind, I told her she didn't want me as a friend.

"I'm not sure what you should call me."

You can yourself MY mark.

A French anchorwoman announced the arrest of Bobby Bishop from the TV. I saw how Katarina tried to disguise her flinch as simply shaking off hair from her face, but it didn't quite work. Her eyes were too wide for that one second. That beautiful anchorwoman was announcing the arrest of Katarina's father.

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**Thank you for sticking with me through yet another chapter!**

**Please review so you can motivate me to post my chapters faster!**

**It seems like this chapter was another short one. One of these days, I will make sure to write a long one! However, until then, enjoy these mini ones.**

**~~~~~~~~~~SPOILER ALERT~~~~~~~~~~**

**I just finished reading Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter a little over an hour ago. I am still deciding on how much I like it, but all I will say is that Nick makes a VERY small appearance. I wish there was more so I can write more fanfic on it, but oh well, I have my hands full just finishing my fanfic on Heist Society By Ally Carter. See you next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**All characters, settings, and dialogues from Heist Society belong to Ally Carter.**

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She was pretty and had a nice figure, but her tomboy clothes overshadowed these qualities. Her petite height did nothing to help her stand out in the crowd, but I guess these qualities made for a good thief.

"How did you get in here?" I needed to know what trick she used.

"You pick pockets. I can pick locks." She raised her eyebrows.

I suddenly realized that my back pocket was lighter and far more comfortable that it should be.

She held up my wallet. "Looking for this? Oops. Maybe I can pick locks too. Care to trade?" She unzipped the wallet and looked inside. "Nicholas Smith. Sixteen. British citizen. Not very photogenic." She looked at me curiously.

That was an understatement. I had a fake ID made with a purposely ugly picture so that if I was caught picking Katarina's pocket, she wouldn't immediately realize who I really was and make the connection to my mother. I would never be able to talk to her again if she knew that my mother was the lead investigator on her father's case at Interpol. My ugly picture is there because people generally do not look too closely at ugly people. Although I was a bit annoyed for making myself go through tedious precautions, I was thankful for them now. She didn't suspect a thing about me. But then again, I was always ready with a contingency plan. I feel like an exposed rabbit when I do not have at least 2 backup plans for emergencies.

She took her wallet from my hands and threw mine onto the bed.

"How…" I asked again.

"You're telegraphing your cover," she said matter-of-factly.

Although my heard was working overtime again, I couldn't help but smile. She was good. She noticed how I haven't finished my course on keeping my cover with prison inmate 381 yet. I tried to blow it off by flirting. "Wow. Talented _and_ cute. It's very nice to meet you, Katarina." I have always been attracted to people smarter than me. I have never cared much about looks. I may acknowledge and appreciate how good-looking someone is, but that has never been the deciding factor in my past relationships. I had a feeling that Katarina was someone much smarter than me in more ways than one. I had to know her better, so I asked, "How old are you, anyway?"

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**Hello everyone!**

**This is a bit longer, but not my much. I am still working on that long chapter I promised so don't worry. As for the ending, I did not like it very much. However, I had to use the lines Ally Carter gave to me. I hope to do better on the next one, so please continue to read and follow this story. As always, please review! I always appreciate people leaving me a comment. It literally makes my day every time I see the email for a new review/comment, so type away!**

**If you enjoy reading this story, please read my original story on Fictionpress. Its name is "UNKNOWN. One in a crowd. One of a kind. One alone." See you there!**

**Until next time. =^_^=**


	5. Chapter 5

**All characters from Heist Society belong to Ally Carter.**

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"This is a nice place. You pay for it working short cons?" Katarina wondered aloud.

To be perfectly honest, the only times I have blatantly broken the law were the times when I was near or looking for Katarina. She may become a bad influence in my life, but for some reason, I didn't care. I had a feeling it would somehow be worth it.

I watched as the thief admired the fresh roses on the mahogany coffee table, the silk curtains over the windows, and the rest of the room's furnishings. They reflected my mom's taste. I, personally, would have preferred something simple that would not attract unwanted attention or questions about the financing of it. I wanted to gain her trust, not give cause for suspicion. Short cons could not pay for a room like this. Katarina did not need to know the amount of my mother's pay check, and especially not my mom's job.

So, I smiled the smile I gave girls when I wanted them to forget whatever idea had just occurred to them. "Among other things."

"And you've been practicing for… two years?" Katarina guessed.

I tried to hide my smirk, but a smile must have seeped through. I had only been learning this particular skill for six months.

"Where did you learn?"

"Around." I shrugged. She didn't need to know how many continents "around" actually meant. "You pick up things. You practice."

She looked like she was thinking about all the places _her _"around" meant. "You ever get caught?" she asked.

Once, by her. "Not by the police."

"Do you have a record?"

Even if someone else had caught me, I am pretty sure my mom can use her contacts to erase whatever record I might have had. After all, having a mom who works at Interpol has to have SOME benefits.

"Do you have a crew?"

"I work alone."

"Do you want to keep it that way?" and with that question still lingering in the air, she opened the door and stepped outside.

She must have expected me to follow her because she walked slowly enough for me to catch up to her easily, like she had done the exact same thing before. Who else did she have a bad influence on? Who else went and damned the consequences?

As we walked up the steps toward the looming mansion, I may have gotten an idea. And I didn't like it. Not one bit.

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**Please rate and review and follow and favorite! What do you think of the story so far? What do you think should happen? Tell me your ideas!**

**Also, please read my story on fictionpress. I used the same username as here On fanfiction. The link is on my fanfiction profile page. I recently changed the name from "UNKNOWN. One of a crowd. One of a kind. One alone." to "Hack Me Now." What you you think?**

**See you there! =^_^=**


	6. Chapter 6

**Enjoy! As always, rights to the plots and characters of Heist Society belong to Ally Carter.**

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I was not always considered a patient person. There were times when I couldn't wait five minutes before my temper went up more than a few notches and my tolerance level dropped below freezing point. Nowadays, I just occupy myself with mental activities if waiting is a required activity. So, when Katarina told me to wait outside, I merely resigned myself to carefully observing my surroundings, like I was taught. I looked at the details of the house to get an idea of where I was. As I looked around, I could tell that the trees were older than the house and were placed there by nature. This meant that whoever built the house had chosen that piece of land for no other reason than privacy. However, it was not the land the house was built on that caught my attention; it was the house itself.

It was the type of house that most people dreamed of sleeping in at least once in their lives. it was a house reserved solely and exclusively for the upper, upper class. Yet. as special as this house was, the architecture and grandeur of the house was not the most eye-catching aspect of the property. No, what impressed me the most about this house, (if you call an oversized gaudy showpiece for the insanely rich they have nothing better to spend their money on a house,) was the security system. Typical rich people equip the best security system for private use money can buy. However, it was hard to get perfect security on a house because each mansion was different and had different weaknesses and strengths. Whoever owned this house knew exactly where the smallest weaknesses were and exactly how strong the strengths were. It was an extremely good security system customized especially to deter thieves and assassins. It was designed by a criminal who looked at it like a mark and made sure to make those possible routes of entry and exit completely secure and no longer possible. Whoever designed this security system could teach more than one or two things to the security director at Interpol headquarters. The way Katarina looked so confident and proud about the security system made me certain that she had had a hand in constructing it.

Although Katarina seemed familiar with the house, I had the sense that it wasn't HER house. She was a very welcome house guest that stayed over often. But for some reason, I had the (bad) feeling that the owner of the property was viewing her as an almost live-in girlfriend. For some reason this made me mad. VERY mad. Yet, the very fact that she seemed to hope that the occupants of the house were asleep made my happy.

However, the loud voices that leaked out of the windows soon after Katarina went inside made it obvious that someone was awake inside that house and had been expecting her, even though I was standing a few feet away. I moved closer to the windows to hear what they were arguing about.

"_You did what?_" a few people, both male and female, seemed to screech at the same time.

"I made an executive decision." Katarina replied.

"So _you_ went to the police?" one male voice asked as if he was staring at the longest mathematical equation and had absolutely no idea why he could not solve it.

"Interpol, actually. Technically, I went to Interpol." Katarina corrected.

"And you ratted on your dad?" the second voice said.

"He's better off where he is. Trust me," Katarina replied.

At this point in listening to the conversation, I realized that my mother's big arrest was due in part to Katarina. I wondered how I was going to break it to my mother that Bobbie Bishop's own daughter was the one responsible for Amelia Bennett's biggest catch of her career. The part about jail was a "better place" for Mr. Bishop caught my attention. How was jail good? Was my mom used? Was this some part of a big scheme to rob Interpol or something to distract them from their true objective? I will question Katarina about this later.

"But you're his daughter, Kat. Uncle Eddie's gonna kill you." the third male voice croaked.

"I'm also the girl who's trying to _undo _the only Pseudonima job ever done in our lifetime, Hamish. Not even Uncle Eddie can kill me twice." Katarina told the person who had just spoken before her.

What was a "Pseudonima job"? Who is Hamish? Who is _Uncle Eddie_? Uncle Eddie seemed to be a person not to be crossed, both as a human being and as a thief. I quickly went though my mental list of the most wanted in the thieving world. Assuming Uncle Eddie wasn't a forged identity, I guessed that he was the one who had done ten major Monet jobs this year alone. If Katarina knew him well, I may be able to know more about him, maybe even meet him and see his face. However, if he was as good as his reputation, he might recognize my face. That more than anything convinced me I DIDN'T want to meet Uncle Eddie.

"I don't think I'd do well in prison." said boy number one.

_Prison isn't that bad._ I thought. During the months I visited inmates in their cells for my lessons, I have grown used to the environment. The key to being a prisoner, they told me, was to not offend the inmate who had the most friends and to keep a low profile. They also told me that if you were asked to give your name, tell them a fake name that was generic, like John Smith, because people have a habit of remembering things that are a bit out-of-place. Another thing is that if you are too different, you will be bullied. However, the main thing was to know how to defend yourself. If you prove yourself able to defend yourself, then that is good enough. Defending doesn't just mean fighting. It means throwing enough punches to not seem like a wimp as often as running away very quickly to prove yourself to be a hard target.

"Guys, I -" Katarina began to say.

"She did the right thing." boy number four said. This voice sounded different. The other people had sounded scarred, worried, and anxious. This guy sounded confident and spoke in a way that made people want to believe him.

"If this doesn't work, and it'd kinda be a miracle for it to work... then your dad's gonna need as much standing between him and Arturo Taccone as possible." the confident voice continued. I remembered Arturo Taccone as a member of Interpol's most wanted list. He was right up there with Bobbie Bishop. But, I don't recall any mention of having to do with the art thieving world. He was a gangster, someone who doesn't exactly fit the art-lover's profile.

After boy number four had finished speaker, a silence descended upon the group inside the mansion. It only reaffirmed my earlier thought that people listened to what he had to say. It sounded like since both this boy and Katarina were on the same side, everyone no longer wanted to debate the topic. I didn't want to enter right into an argument as a third-party member, but now seemed to be the perfect opportunity to step inside. I pushed open the door quietly and said to the group, "Hello." I put on my most dazzling smile and hoped Katarina knew what she was doing in bringing me here.

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** How is it? Isn't this chapter nice and long? From the word count, this is over 3 times as long as a few of my other chapters. I had planned for this scene to be in two chapters, but then I thought that one long chapter was better. Do you think so? As always, please review, favorite, follow, etc my story. Thank you to ****_writer2be14_****, morgannelaxenaire, ****_The One You Never Suspected_****, ****_misstvd11, _****and the Guests who commented without making a fanfiction account for review this story. An extra thank you to the usernames in italics for sticking with me so far and commenting on more than one chapter. I hope to add more usernames to list.**

** I love you guys for letting me finally reach one thousand views from over 20 countries! ! I am so happy! Tears of joy are raining down from my eyes. I hope the same for my fictionpress story I have the link to on my profile page. If you made this dream of mine come true, I will be forever grateful.**

**See you all next time! =^_^=**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everyone! I hope you like this chapter. It is shorter than the last one, sorry. I have been very busy recently and have not been able to post new chapters. However, I will try to write more. Enjoy!**

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I looked around the room and noticed five guys in the room. Two of the guys looked like they had more muscles than brains. One guy looked like he had more brains than muscles. One guy was hiding in the shadows wearing a butler's suit and an unreadable expression. The last guy looked like he had too much money and good looks for the world to make sense. Then, I looked around at the girls in the room. Katarina looked even shorter next to a girl who looked like she could give a Russia supermodel a run for her money. Definitely not the faces I had in mind for a group of teenage master thieves.

However, they acted exactly like how I would expect a group of experienced criminals to act. The brainy guy rushed to snap the laptop lid shut. One of the muscle guys quickly used a jacket to cover a 3-D model of a building, but he was not fast enough because I could clearly see that it was a detailed replica of the security at the Henley. The rich guy acted like how I would expect a lovesick teenager would do when he asked, "Who's this guy?" I guess I found the owner of the mansion who had feelings for Katarina. I hated him at first sight.

"Hi, I'm Nick. Kat told me-" I used the term Kat instead of Katarina because she told me all her friends called her Kat and I needed them to consider me a friend.

"To wait outside." Katarina was annoyed.

"So?" Rich boy glared at Katarina.

"Nick's a pocket man. He and I … _bumped_ into each other in Paris. Nick, this is Gabrielle." The gorgeous girl held up two fingers. "The Bagshaws, Angus and Hamish. Simon – I told you about him."

I did indeed remember Katarina mentioning Simon on our plane ride over from Paris to London.

~ O ~ O ~

"Tell me about your crew." We had just buckled in and I wanted to distract myself until the flight attendants started handing the complimentary peanuts and soda.

"We have two grifters, two hitters, one techie, and me, the mastermind. The grifters make contact with the marks and charm them into thinking they are not getting conned. The hitters like to work with explosives and are mostly in charge of the diversions we may need to make a quick getaway. The techie hacks into the security systems and loop the cameras. I am in charge of the planning and choosing of the cons."

"How did you find them? How good are they? What jobs have you guys done before?

"Well, I met them through various ways and various contacts and they are all very good at what they do. As for what we have done so far, let's just say that it is nothing compare to what we are going to do."

"Do you guys sometimes switch jobs?" She had a pretty small crew compared to some of the other top teams.

"Well, all of us are masters at the basics, like pick-pocketing and lock-picking. We all know how to act and lie and fight adequately when the situation arises. However, none of us can do Simon's job with the computers. He is REALLY good.

"Yeah. A lot of computer people are somewhat competent, but most of then do not know how to work the really cool programs."

"Well, it is what they do with the computer programs that really matters. Most of the really good techies go to work in Silicon Valley and make hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is hard to find one that is willing to actually break the law. Also, since it is hard to not get caught, most of the ones willing to go against the law are already in prison."

"Huh. Then how did you meet Simon?"

"A friend told me how this guy, as a joke, hacked into UC Berkeley's wifi and redirected everyone who tried to get online to a porn site. It is a funny story, but it really inconvenienced a lot of students. This caught my attention because the kid was not caught and he was deliberately breaking the rules. I used my communications network and contacted him the next day. Safe to say, he was delighted to join my crew."

"Which porn website? Was it any good?"

"I'm not answering that."

~O~O~

"And this is Hale. Hale's-"

"Hale's wondering exactly what Nick is doing here."

I am going out on a limb here and say that Hale is not happy to see me. Huh. Care to have a little competition?

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**Did you like it? If you want to suggest how this story should progress, comment. Also, since Nick's role in the later books seem to be getting pitifully smaller and smaller, I wonder if I should continue on to the later books. What do you guys think? See you next time? =^_^=**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone! I hope you guys have been have a good week. Well, I hope it was better than mine. A family member was hospitalized recently and I was pretty busy and haven't been able to write as much as I would have wanted. Of course, if I had what I wanted, I would be writing every moment of my life, well... ALMOST every moment of my life. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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"Hale's wondering exactly what Nick is doing here." Hale growled.

"You said it yourself, Hale. We need one more." Kat said quietly,

"Two more. Actually, I said we need two more, and he -"

"He's in. We can do it with seven. And he's in."

"I knew it. I knew I should have gone with you. First you tell some phony story about your dad to the police -"

"Interpol," Hamish, Angus, and Simon all corrected at once.

"And then you come home with this?" Hale continued as if Hamish, Ångus, and Simon hadn't said anything at all.

I didn't like how Hale was talking to me as if I wasn't in the room or as if I had no feelings. Like an object. "This." I was starting to like this rich boy less and less. If not for the fact that I am supposed to get along with this group of people, I would have walked up to rich boy and see if he would like an introduction to my fist! . I am pretty sure my muscle memory still has my old lessens clearly stored.

"Can I see you outside for a second?" Kat glared at Hale as she moved pass him, expecting him to follow.

Which, of course, he did.

"Ooh, Mom and Dad are going to fight now." Angus muttered.

"Wait, wait, wait. Are they "together"?" I needed to confirm it for myself.

"Well, it is pretty obvious they will eventually become an official couple. It is only a matter of time." Angus shrugged.

EVENTUALLY. That meant I still had a chance.

"Don't even think about, newb," Gabrielle wanred. "Kat has met a lot of good looking guys before. She has never fallen."

"What about Hale, then?" I countered.

"Hale is different. He is the first guy she brought home. I thought that she would never bring in another guy, but I thought wrong. But still, those two have known each other for years. They have a bond that is no easily broken. And another thing, she only brought you in because we seriously need another person. She brought Hale in just because she wanted to."

Huh. That may be true but that doesn't change the fact that I still have a chance. And I happen to make a lot of money working the casinos. You make your own luck. Real life is no different.

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**I know I have somehow reverted back to shorter chapters, sorry. How have you guys been? Seriously, if you have any ideas for what to happen, please review or PM me. Also, if you want to read more of my work, please read "Hack Me Now" . See you guys next time!**

**(Spoiler Alert) **

**Also, you guys should all probably know that in the series, Kat and Nick never get together. However, what do you guys want? Do you want me to deviate from the story and put them together or do you guys want me to do something more interesting, because I have an idea in mind... Tell me what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everyone! This is another quasi-long chapter treat for you guys. I hope you like it! As always, Ally Carter's characters and scenes belong to her.**

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I have to give it to this crew. They are good. The way they use their resources efficiently and have many layers of back up plans shows me exactly how they have been able to stay out of jail for so long. Hale and Gabrielle could easily become top actors and actresses of Hollywood. Simon should be head of the CIA. Angus and Hamish should be NAVY SEALS specializing in bomb assembly and diffusion. Katarina was in a league of her own. Very few masterminds could resist temptation and not work for self-gain. She is almost like the leaders Plato talks about in _The Republic_.

So, when I asked, "Is he good?" I already knew the answer.

At the moment, Kat was watching Hale discreetly put a piece of tape on the latch of the door he was holding out for the museum director. He gave us a quick glance to tell us the job was done.

"Yeah. He's good." Kat confirmed.

No one even noticed that step two of a covert operation was now completed. Step one was getting into the museum in our roles without anyone detecting anything amiss.

Kat then turned to me. "You got it?" she asked me.

"Inside left pocket," I said automatically. I tried my hand at flirtation and gave her a sloppy grin. "Lucky I'm left handed."

Just then, Gabrielle walked by leading a group of people, keeping to her role as a docent. "Luck, my friend, has absolutely nothing to do with it." She said professionally. She was leading a group of school children who suddenly made me feel as if my ear was exploding. The noise was vociferous. "We're sorry for the inconvenience. Today we're starting all tours in the sculpture garden," Gabrielle yelled over the crowd.

When we were somewhat able to hear again, we could listen in to how Hale was speaking to the director about the weather and the search for the perfect fish and chips. When we were sure everything was going as planned, Kat whispered, "Angus, Simon, you're clear." Not a single security guard saw the two kids push open an unmarked door and they definitely did not hear Angus say, "We're in."

"The way I hear it, there _was_ a Visily Romani once."

"Just watch the door, Hamish," Kat admonished.

"I'm on it, Kitty, don't you worry. But as I was saying, this Romani bloke was the best thief in the land, he was. Until he fell of a guard tower -"

"I heard he drowned." Angus chimed in.

"I'm telling the story."

"Simon? How much longer?"

"Fifteen minutes," Simon replied.

"But Romani didn't die, see?" Hamish kept going. "Well, strictly speaking, he _did_ die, but -"

"Hamish, are you watching the door or aren't you?" Gabrielle barked. She was discreetly tailing Hale and the director.

"I am, love. It's clear as a bell. So anyway, as I was saying, he died, but he got reincarnated, see? Every generation there's a _new _Romani."

"That's not how it goes, Hamish," Katarina clarified.

"Yeah. The original Romani drowned. It's every _other _generation." Angus replied, ever the older brother.

During all this, I was thinking about the idea of Visily Romani. Visily Romani is one of the best thieves that had ever lived and his name gets inherited every five to six decades. Although there was a person using the name currently, aka the person who had just very recently caused a bit of trouble at the Henley, I was wondering how true the idea that Romani only appeared every other generation. From what I had seen, Katarina WAS the new Romani. There were no other thief prodigies in her generation as good as she was. Either the current Romani was as old as a grandfather, or he/she was middle aged and the every other generation rule was broken. However, the thought that an old man was so nimble, flexible, and athletic enough to be as good as to cause trouble at the Henley was highly doubtful.

Then, I thought about how much fun it would be to put away a Romani in jail after I gathered enough evidence to indict Katarina, her crew, and her entire family. I started daydreaming about how I would be praised by my mother for my help when I suddenly realized that it had been six months since my last poker face lessen. I decided that the best way to hide the real reason behind my face was to morph my face into looking like I was thinking about how Katarina might look in a little black dress. From experience, I knew that my daydream-about-a-mission-success face and my daydream-about-a-girl face were similar. Better to be thought of as a pervert than get caught.

"Guys," Katarina started to say, but when she looked over at me, she suddenly stopped. She seemed to have only caught my daydream-about-a-girl face and not my daydream-about-a-mission-success face because she walked quickly to the next exhibit. I was glad that I did not get caught but I seriously needed to set up another poker face lesson. Being thought of as a pervert was not exactly the best thing in the world. But then, I really did try to imagine Katarina dressed in a little black dress. And then, I wondered how Gabrielle might look like in the same dress. Both images made me smile inwardly.

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**How did you guys like this chapter? I am leaving Nick's romantic relations s secret for now. By popular demand, I WILL keep his kiss with Kat, so that is something to look forward to in the upcoming chapters. Also, here is a poll for you guys. How would you feel if you were forcefully kissed by a someone you liked? How about someone you didn't like? How would you feel? How would you react? What would your relationship moving forward? Tell me your ideas in the comments section below! And don't forget to read the newest chapter of my story on FictionPress called _Hack Me Now_. The link is on my profile page. Bye for now. =^_^=**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone! Enjoy this new chapter!**

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"So, Nick, have you lived in Paris long?" She asked as we walked on to the next exhibit.

I shrugged and fell into step next to her. "Off and on."

I honestly didn't like Paris that much because it reminded me of my dad and how he died and _that_was a Pandora's Box I never wanted to open ever again.

"Your accent isn't one hundred percent British, though. Is it?" Kat asked.

"My father was American. but my mom is English." I shrugged again, trying to hide the emotions that were trying to come to the surface.

"And is she going to be missing you now?"

I looked at everything but her. I knew that my mother was too busy with overnight stays at her office again because of some interpol work. She was almost never home. I spent more time with prisoners than I did with my mother recently. There had only been one time in the last month that we actually spent together.

I shook my head. "I've got a few days."

"That's all we need."

I stopped suddenly as I remembered my last "pervert" action. I had sneaked into Katarina's room to plant a few bugs and check things out. However, as I walked toward her closet, I felt a slight unevenness underneath the rug. I found an envelope with candid pictures of everyone Katarina cared about, Hale, her dad, Gabrielle, and an unknown older man that had a family resemblance to Katarina. I had realized that Arturo Taccone was blackmailing her with her loved ones. But all of a sudden, as I looked at the details of a painting of a large crowd, I had recognized someone in the background of her dad's picture. Then I remembered something that drained the blood out of my face. There was something like the sound of a camera's shutter that sounded once when I was having lunch with my mother when she was stalking Bobbie Bishop. I had hoped that it was the sound of a tourist, but for some reason the sound had sticked with me. Now I realized it was Arturo Taccone taking pictures of Katarina's dad and my mother and I were most likely caught in the background. My mother and I weren't wearing disguises then. If Katarina had pictures of me with my mom, my cover was blown. Since she hadn't called out on me for it yet, I guessed that she did not recognize me in the background. However, she was no dummy and neither was anyone in her crew. If anyone else saw those pictures again, I was screwed.

So, I tried to reply casually, "Well then,that's what you'll get, Ms. Bishop." I tried to make sure my face didn't show any of my fear, but something must have been off because Katarina was now studying me too carefully. I then thought about what I said that might have made such a difference in her demeanor. Oh shoot, I said her real name even though she had never told it to me. "Oh. You really didn't expect me to look you up? To figure out that you were the Katarina BIshop?" I hoped she wouldn't think too much on how I would research her because that might lead to uncomfortable questions that might break my cover. But of course, life wasn't easy.

"Exactly how does on 'look me up'?" She blushed as she said this. I guess she was the modest type. But, I mean, I wonder. She is one of the most accomplished thieves her age, even with her few years of hiatus at Colgan. Her resume basically screams that she will definitely be better than her father when she grows up.

"Just because I work alone doesn't mean I don't have resources. Only, rumor has it you'd walked away from the life." I gave her an enigmatic smile and started walking ahead, making sure to steer the conversation safely away to a different topic.

"I'm not... " Katarina shook her head and walked ahead. "I'm still walking." I guess she meant that she had no intention of staying in this business after this job. However, from the way she looked planning this out, I knew she loved this life. Achieving a mark is her form of getting a hit and getting high. And as any person knew, the biggest cons that we set up are the ones we set up for ourselves.

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**I know you are all probably tired of me saying this at the end of each chapter, but I really appreciate people leaving comments after each chapter telling me how they like the story so far. I read every comment and each one makes me so glad that people are actually reading my work. So please, review this chapter!**

**Ok, for the poll question. I know I asked this last week in Hack Me Now chapter but I would like more responses to this question. What would you feel and how would you react if you found out that someone is only in a relationship with you to use you, regardless of whether you two have genuine feelings for each other? Reply in the comments section below!**

**See you next time here and atmy other story on Fictionpress! The link is on my profile page. Bye! =^_^=**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello everyone! I hope you all have a good day today! (and tomorrow and the day after and the day after that...)**

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We walked more in silence as we neared a more crowded area. A lot of tourists stood before da Vinci's final masterpiece, gazing at the old master's work as if it held the answer to the universe (which, by the way, is 42, although that number is nowhere on the painting).

A docent could be heard ten feet away talking to the crowd. "And here we have Leonardo da Vinci's Angel Returning to Heaven. Purchased in 1946 by Veronica Henley herself, it is widely considered one of the most valuable works of art in the world - the most valuable, according to Mrs. Henley. When reporters asked her shortly before her death which piece she would rather have for her collection, this painting or the Mono Lisa, Mrs. Henley said, 'Let the Louvre keep Leonardo's lady; I have his angel."

After the docent finished her speech about the Angel, she and the crowd moved forward, allowing Katarina and me to see the painting more clearly.I turned toward her and asked, "You tempted?" because if _I_ was a master thief and saw such a beautiful work right in front on eyes and barely five feet away, I would be thinking of all the possible ways to get around the security system (which of course was what we came here to do in the first place).

I could see her mind working. She analyzed the monetary value as well as the artistic appreciation the painting held. I could tell that although a part of her was imagining where in her house to put the piece, the biggest part of her wasn't enticed in the least about stealing the work. She was someone born and raised in the underworld of art but was one of the few able to escape its clutches. I wonder how she became so different from the other people born in her world but, unlike her, had never even considered leaving it. "You've had big scores before, though, right?" I continued to question her. I really wanted to know how her mind worked. I wanted to know how she could leave such temptation behind and start such a mundane life at Colgan. I wanted to know why I was so attracted to her.

She raised her shoulders in a shrug. "Big is a relative term."

"But you and your dad did the Tokyo Exchange Center last year, right?"

She smiled, but didn't give any verbal response.

"The Embassy job in Paris... The -" I continued listing the last few known jobs she did when she suddenly cut me off.

"What's your real question, Nick?"

I took a minute to process the jumbled thoughts in my head, trying to place words into grammatical sense. Finally, I answered with a simple, "Why the Colgan job?"

"It wasn't a job. It was more like a ... life?"

I couldn't help the blank expression that seemed to have suddenly plastered itself onto my face. There was no adventure or danger or adrenaline rush at Colgan, and it was obvious that Katarina enjoyed these things.

Sensing my confusion, she quickly added, "A way of expanding my educational horizons."

I laughed. You didn't need to know _Which president had a cross-eyed wife?_ or _What are the names of all twenty amino acids?_ to succeed in life, especially in the life she was born in. "What could someone like you possible learn at a place like that? Those kids are just ... kids."

"Yeah. That was kind of the point."

And so, with that, we continued our walk through the museum.

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**I have read your comments, and DO NOT WORRY. I WILL continue this story and I have never stopped. I am sorry that there was a huge gap between this chapter and the last one because I recently had a tumor removed and I was forced to stay at the hospital for a while. It is a good thing it was benign or else this chapter might have taken even longer for me to write and put up. So, the question of the week is this: If your friend was cheating on her/his spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend/partner, but you really hated the spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend/partner, what would you do? Would you intervene or let things play out? Comment below and I would LOVE to hear what you think of my writing so far. Remember, if you want to read more of my work, then please go to my profile page on Fanfiction and click the link to read an original story of mine.**

**See y'all next time! =^_^=**


	12. Chapter 12

**This is the chapter you have _all_ been waiting for.**

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"You see, Mr. Hale, this is the wing your Monet would call home. We have hosted some of the finest works from some of the world's finest families..." Up ahead, Gregory Wainwright stretched his arm wide and continued to try to persuade W.W. Hale to let the Louvre host some of the Hale family's masterpieces. Hale was playing his role as the bored billionaire brilliantly. He never widened his eyes even when they passed by some of the most beautiful and expensive art pieces in the world, and he kept his eyelids open only to medium height so that his air of indifference seemed to overwhelm the people around him. He never faltered in his step that was slow and steady, the walk of someone who had all the time in the world (and more), and knew it. His thousand dollar designer shoes never paused to step around a particularly dirty spot on the floor, but just walked right through the grime and filth, not caring even if he might have to throw the shoes away afterward. Even though he had been born and raised into this type of life, the way he held himself was something of a talent. The perfect inside man.

Some of the boredom must have infected Mr. Wainwright because he said, "Oh, will you look at the time."

"Tell me, Mr. ... Worthington, what kind of insurances do I have that my painting wouldn't be damaged in any way?" Hale only talked on to kill time, since he, of course, was supposed to have an excess in just about everything (especially the things people wanted most.)

Mr. Wainwright laughed and looked at the young billionaire. "We're the Henley, young man. We use only the most state-of-the-art protection measures -"

"Docents or guards in the room at all times when the building is open?" Hale interrupted, as if he had a sudden overwhelming interest in the security of his paintings were they to be displayed there.

"Yes," the director replied without a blink.

"International Museum Federation anti-elements protocols? Gold level?"

"Level Platinum," Mr. Wainwright humphed as they walked closer to the exit.

"Magnetic tags tied to sensors at every conceivable exit?"

"Of course," the director paused and for the first time, looked at Hale as if he was just another annoying brat passing through the Louvre on a school field trip, just another boy using any excuse possible to get out of class. "In fact, speaking of protection, I'm afraid I have a rather urgent ten O'clock meeting with our head of security. I can assure you, our acquisitions department is used to accommodating almost any request, so if you're ready to begin the paperwork, perhaps we should -"

"Oh, I'm not here to start the paperwork." Hale stepped in front of Gregory Wainwright to get a better look at a beautiful Pissarro. He looked at the muted colors like as nice as it was, it may as well have been fire kindle compared to the paintings _he _had. Hale was stalling for time because in his ear piece, he heard Kat ask, "You ready for company, Simon?" and heard Simon answer back, "Five minutes."

"I'm sorry, sir. I was under the impression that you would like to place your family's Monet on temporary exhibit at the Henley." Mr. Wainwright laughed once and shifted uneasily.

"No," Hale said as he once again stepped in front of the museum director. "I don't want to place my family's Money at the Henley."

"I"m sorry, Mr. Hale. I'm afraid I'm quite confused, sir. You're here because... "

"Of Kat. I'm here because of her."

"Cats, you say?" the man replied with a smile. A normal person would wonder what the heck the youngest W.W. Hale was saying, but Gregory Wainwright only nodded, used to the idiosyncrasies of the people living in the top 0.1% of society.

"Yeah. You see, Greg," Hale continued as he followed Mr. Wainwright, who had continued walking forward. "My mother is going through a feline phase. Binky is a Persian. Binky has a nasty habit of shedding all over the living room furniture, you see. And so we had to get new living room furniture, which, unfortunately, does not go with the Monet."

I had been watching Hale's conversation out of the corner of my eye with Katarina. I couldn't help but be impressed as he stayed in his role perfectly, but had still found an opportunity to flirt with the beautiful girl beside me. Even though he didn't follow the script we had went over many times before, he was able to make sure the director remained oblivious to the covert going ons in his own museum. I looked over at Katarina and said, "He is good."

I saw her smile a little as she looked on at Hale. This definitely did not assuage my jealousy because the fact was that Hale was showing me everything he could give to Katarina that I could not. Stupid, arrogant, billionaire, rich kid. I wished I had something that I had over him, something I could claim as my own, something that Hale would never be able to get. "How long have you two been together?"

"We're not together," she answered quickly.

The question had slipped out before I could reel them back in. Although it was a question that had lurked in the back of my mind for a while, I honestly didn't want to hear the answer if it was a bad one. Thank god it wasn't. "I meant, how long have you been working together?" I smiled flirtatiously as I remembered her response to my first question. "But that's good to know, too."

Then, I heard footsteps getting closer and closer to the director's private office. "Simon?" Katarina questioned. "Just one more minute!" was the breathless response. She turned to me and whispered, "Stall."

"Okay." I responded. Through the adrenaline haze of being almost caught, I finally thought of something that I could do that Hale would not be able to do. I took her arm and pulled her closer to me and kissed her, just as Gregory Wainwright and W.W. Hale the fifth looked up and noticed the young couple.

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**Well, how about that? Two chapters within four days. Recovering after surgery does give me a lot of time to write. It felt nice to just spend hour after hour just writing. I have new chapters for my other story, _Hack Me Now_, and this is the newest chapter for The Day He Met Her. I know many of you had been eagerly awaiting the kiss between Nick and Katarina. This chapter was written in more third person than first person. I thought this was more similar to Ally Carter's style of writing. Do you guys like this style more or a previous style? In the past, I think I did a bit of both. Tell your thoughts in the comments section below!**

**The question of the week is: Who should make the first move, the guy that likes the girl or the girl that likes the guy?**

**I hope to see each and every one of you next time! =^_^=**


	13. Chapter 13

**Enjoy! I hope this chapter makes your good/okay-ish/bad day even better!**

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I could feel the gentle brush of her lips over mine and feel the warmth coming from her body. My arms gripped her waist and pulled her even closer to me. It felt like I was living in an RPG that had suddenly allowed me to my out my fantasies in real life. I was aware that Hale and the museum director had stopped walking to stare at us. I knew the crew was glad that the director stopped to stare at Katarina and me, but if my mind was not completely dominated by Katarina, I would have seen the look flash in Hale's eyes for a fraction of a second and seen all my wishes for the next ten Christmases come true. But then again, why would I even think about some other guy when I had one of the most beautiful girls in the world in my arms?

And then, as if on cue, my earpiece buzzed and my mind was switched from happiest-day-of-my-life to crap-I'm-on-a-mission-while-undercover-with-people -my-mom-wants-to-put-in-prison. I opened my eyes to small slits and saw Simon run out of the director's office. Right afterwards, Angus said, "We're clear." Mentally, I had pulled away from me right after he had said that.

The director muttered something like "Children kissing in my halls..."

Hale, who had schooled his face back to the perfect bored teenage billionaire, continued his conversation with Gregory Wainwright, "To tell you the truth, Mr. Wainwright, before I can promise you anything, I would really like to hear from you that there's nothing to fear from this man..." At that, he stopped and snapped his fingers and shook his wrist as if he had just forgotten something important. He stopped his hands suddenly and said, "Visily Romani."

After that, Mr. Wainwright spluttered responses about how Romani was just some crazy man who had played a harmless prank on the Louvre and that the museum and its occupants had nothing to fear from him. Hale, if possible, looked even more bored and politely left the museum. Katarina and I followed ten minutes after so that it would not seem suspicious.

Today was probably the best day I have ever spent at any museum. I can still feel her lips on mine and the feel of her body pressed up against me. I knew I was a good kisser (all my previous girlfriends have told me just that), so I knew that Katarina couldn't not have enjoyed my kiss. However, she didn't loose herself in my embrace and had her mind on the mission the whole time. Another thing was that she stared at Hale as often as he snuck glances at her. That proved more than anything that the feeling between them was mutual, even if Katarina had not realized her feelings yet. I had a feeling it would be soon, though. I remembered the comment Angus said awhile back when he had referred to Katarina and Hale as "Mom and Dad". During then, I thought that it was only Hale who like Katarina and that I still had a chance. Now, I realize that this may not be the case. I knashed my teeth in frustration. Rich Boy had everything money could buy and the one thing that it can't, true love, was something he already had. Damn!

I need to try harder. _Much _harder. NO ONE can have everything they want in the world, and I will definitely try my damnest to make sure W. W. Hale V would not be the first. Besides, it was _me _who had given Katarina her first kiss, and that was something Rich Boy could never change, even with all the money in the world.

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**Well, how was it this time? I know all, or at least most of you have been eagerly awaiting the kiss between Kat and Nick ****_right in front of Hale_****. I have always thought that Ally Carter was a genius for that particular detail. It leaves so many things for us to write about on FanFiction. :D I don't feel like asking any questions this time because I want ****_you_**** to ask me questions. I want to know what is on everyone's minds.**

**Also, if you see any spelling/grammar errors, please tell me specifically where it is so that I may correct it. As many of you know, it is hard to check your own work. This is why you should always ask a friend or family member to read over an essay, memo, story, etc. Trust me, it will help a lot.**

**I'll see everyone again next time! =^_^=**


	14. Chapter 14

**Enjoy! If you are having a bad day, remember:**

**I didn't fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong. –Benjamin Franklin**

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While pretending to play games on my smartphone, I emailed my mother. I told her about my recent activities like hanging out with a bunch of criminals and helping them case a joint. Not. I lied and said that I had met some girl who needed a guide to the beautiful city of Paris. As far as my mother knows, I am on my way of becoming one of Europe's most infamous playboys (and I am definitely _NOT _talking about the magazine). For some reason, I don't want to seem too serious to my mother. I know she loves me and everything, but if she thinks I am _actually _thinking about my future, she would come to expect things from me, like not getting kicked out of school or not talking to felons. If someone really thinks about what I am doing and starts connecting the dots, they might realize that I am practicing skills that are necessary for any CIA field agent or FBI undercover agent. Some people might think that even if I wanted a career in law enforcement, I would still need to go to school so that I have practice writing reports and doing paperwork when I grow up. However, you can trust me when I say that knowing California's state animal or the year King Hammurabi was born is _not_ vital to stopping a presidential assassination attempt. (I mean, there have been no grisly bears in California since August 1922.) No matter what parents say, school and grades aren't the only way to prepare for a successful career in the future. (Going to school might be the most _legal _process, though.)

I looked up from my phone to see Rich Boy staring at me. I arch an eyebrow to acknowledge that I know that he was watching me. He just glares and turns to stare out the window. I see Gabrielle watching the whole exchange. She looked as if she was about to comment but then thought better of it. She gives me a little smile and continues filing her nails. From the research I did on this group, I knew that even though the image of a beautiful teenage girl filing her nail was innocuous enough, it was anything but. When wielded correctly, that nail file was as deadly as a switch. And Gabrielle had training. Enough said.

When she raised her head, it was her turn to acknowledge that she knew that I had been staring at her. I give her one my flirty smiles and turn back to tapping away at my phone. I know that if someone opened my phone when I wasn't looking, there was a chance that they could break my password encryption and see my messages. This is why I have several of the same burner phone. I have another phone that is identical to the one in my hand hidden in my jacket pocket. Later, I will throw away the phone in my hand and pretend that the phone in my jacket was the one I was using all along. This way, if someone manages to get their hands on my phone when I am sleeping or something, they will see nothing but bookmarked porn websites and a PDF titled _Picking a Lock for Dummies_ (something I completely mastered and memorized seven years ago).

You know how quotes like to talk about how beauty and innocence go together? Well, the two most beautiful girls I have ever seen, either with my eyes or in a magazine, are as far from innocence as the prisoners in the ninth level of Dante's Inferno. Well, roses have thorns for a reason. And this applies to males as well. (And by this, I am referring to myself. NOT W. W. Hale V. Well, maybe he counts for a _little _bit.)

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**How was this chapter? It is was entirely in Nick's perspective and is made up of completely of my original words. I think this makes Nick a bit more of a 3D character. The book does not give many details regarding Nick. We don't know what happened to his dad or why did he suddenly start attending school in _Perfect Scoundrels_. If you have any ideas you want me to consider, please feel free to comment below about it. You can also send me PMs.**

**Question of the week: Who is more important, family or love-of-your-life? Would you promise to forever stay away from someone if the family you love disapproves of the person that you know loves you wholeheartedly?**

**In response to the questions you asked me last chapter:**

**Do you ship anyone besides Kat and Hale?**

**I really like the relationship Hale's grandmother had with his grandfather. They were clearly in love, unlike Hale's parents who seem to love neither their son nor each other.**

**Do you have any more fanfics about Kat and Nick?**

** I don't have any other fanfics at the moment. I may decide to write another short one in addition to the one I am currently writing, but I have no definite plans. Besides, this one is pretty far from over. I have two more books to get through and I haven't even finished the first one. However, I do have an original story on FictionPress. To everyone who has not read it yet, I highly recommend it.  
**

**Hale doesn't have everything. He doesn't have his parent's love.**

** Oops. Sorry. I guess Nick does have a better familial situation. In the entire series, Hale has the worst parents. But remember, he found another family in Kat's world. A lot of people don't have a second family to be around, so in a sense, Hale also has a good family.**

**If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. ****See you next time! =^_^=**


	15. Chapter 15

**I hope you like this chapter! The characters and scenarios that are in Heist Society do not belong to me.**

**"Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears." –Les Brown**

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"How's it coming, Simon?" Katarina wondered.

"We have eyes and ears," SImon replied after a minute, too engrossed in his gizmos to answer. I had to commend Simon for his tech chops. We bought basic spyware but Simon tinkered with it so that we could have 1080HD video quality and sound that would fit right in with the surround sound system at Hale's mansion. When Gregory Wainwright's speakerphone sounded off with a female voice sounding, "Mr. Wainwight?", it felt like we were in the office right with the museum head himself.

"Nice work, Simon," Gabrielle kissed him on the cheek.

"I helped," Hamish whined, moving his left cheek closer to Gabrielle's pink lips.

I had to fight to hide a laugh when she instantly turned around to face the computer screens once more and _unconsciously _move a step in the opposite direction of Hamish and and his twin.

"Mr. Wainwright?" the speaker spoke again.

It was comical to see the well polished man in the taylored Zegna suit suddenly jump from where his head had been laying in the crook of his arms on his desk. He looked like a cartoon character who suddenly realized he had been sitting on a bomb.

Gabrielle, who couldn't hold it in any longer, laughed loudly, "He's napping."

"So, what do we need to know about him, Hale?" Katarina asked. "Besides the fact that he likes to doze off in his office." She too had trouble stopping herself from laughing and getting serious about their work.

"He's a suit. He's concerned with typical suit stuff. Donations, revenue streams, publicity..." Hale talked about this as if he were merely an expert on the subject and had simply devoted his life to learning about the ins and outs of the filthy rich, rather than a member in this exclusive society. "Our friend, Romani, has made life for Mr. Wainwright very, very difficult. The official party line is what we've already heard - a prank, a mistake by the janitorial staff - the usual stuff."

"But unofficially?" Angus buzzed.

"The Henley is spooked." Hale said with a nod.

From the speakers and monitors, we knew that a secretary had entered the office and was chattering on about the latest developments that the museum director should know and address soon. She talked about the formal black-tie fundraiser coming up, the faulty furnace that needed to be fixed right away, an excellent new record for attendance, and the annual check of the building's fire safety codes. Although the woman seemed to like her job very much since she talked about the steps that should be taken to address each issue with enthusiasm, Mr. Wainwright seemed that he couldn't care less. He eyes were at half-mast and he was making periodic glances at the table in front of him, probably thinking about how comfortable it would be to fall back asleep.

"Scared..." Katarina stood and started to stretch as she paced. Everyone in the crew could see the wheels in their leader's head start spinning at rates that cars could not legally travel at in the US. "We're making it too hard. We're not stealing _from _the Henley. We're stealing _at _the Henley. They're scared." Here, she stopped pacing. "Right?"

Hale nodded as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He had been around her long enough to know that this was when she was getting a really good idea.

She gestured with her finger toward the museum blueprints with the plans mapped out. "Then we give them a reason to be terrified."

Everyone, including me, stared at her with admiration, as we all uttered, "Smokey the Bear," at the same time.

"It could work," Simon slowly nodded.

"It will work," Gabrielle announced confidently.

Angus's hand quickly shot up like a schoolboy who knew the answer to what his hot teacher had just asked the class. "Yeah, well that still doesn't explain how we're going to carry five paintings out of the most secure museum in the world."

"Even if they aren't their paintings," Hamish interrupted.

"Without getting noticed," the other Bagshaw twin completed.

"So we get noticed." Katarina then went on to plan a very genius and simple plan that no one but this crew could pull off. Since I had been living in France the longest, I talked about the speed of the country's emergency response vehicles. Also, since I am the son of an Interpol officer, I was able to plan out ways to evade the French authorities if things went south. I was glad that in this one scenario, I was able to help Katarina in a way Hale couldn't.

Even though it was getting pretty late, I went to the gym to continue my training with the schedule that the prison inmates had drawn up for me. You never knew when that one-in-a-hundred opportunity where brawn actually beats brains may turn up. As I went through my reps, I thought about how my mother would react if she knew what I was doing. I mean, I was using my knowledge of her work to help the very criminals she was trying to catch. (Technically, she was trying to catch the _father _of one of the criminals I was helping, but whatever.) Everyday, I checked to make sure the bugs and cameras I had installed were still working and had not been discovered. So far, they had not. Yet, the people I was working against are the smartest people their age. They also have the best senses and instincts. I knew that my scheme had flaws and my luck wouldn't last forever. I wonder if Katarina would ever forgive me.

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**Is it just me, or was there too much nodding in this chapter. I make sure that the scenes and actions that the characters do originally show up in my story. However, as I went through the scenes, it seemed like the characters were couldn't keep their head still. Oh well.**

**How did you like this chapter? I liked that I was able to inject some of my original writing there in the end.**

**If you have any ideas of comments you would like to voice about where this story should go, feel free to tell me them by writing in the comments section below. I love reading all of your comments. It really makes my day.**

**I find it funny that right now, there is a lot of protest against governments' stealing of user's personal information. However, in this story, we know that Kat and the crew bugged the Henley and are stealing information in a similar fashion to the government. Frankly, I don't care if the government collects my cell phone records because as far as anyone knows, ****_I_**** am not doing anything illegal. What do you think? Tell me all about it below.**

**See you next time! =^_^=**


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